If you still have yet to buy someone a very late holiday gift, the Powerbeats by Dr. Dre earphones might be what you’re looking for. These lightweight earphones are sweat resistant and UV protected, have a built-in subwoofer, and even a ControlTalk on-cable mic that allows for hands-free calling with your iPhone. These earphones are light, has a long cable that doesn’t tangle easily, and comes in three possible color options: black, white, and red. If you order from the official website you can even get them in Oprah’s Limited Edition green/white. Unboxed the Powerbeats by Dr. Dre earphones come with an in-line remote and mic cable, hard case, extension cable, and three pairs of ear tip fillings.
Dubbed, “The earbuds engineered for athletes” these earphones are exactly that. Whether you’re a casual jogger or an Olympic athlete, these earphones will not come off even during your most rigorous workout thanks to the flexible earclips. Getting them on might be a hassle at first, but once you get used to the process it becomes fairly easy to slip them on and off. However, if you are a glasses wearer you may need to take your glasses off first. The earphones also come with a remote control cord, allowing the user to adjust his or her music right from the cord.
I hadn’t known anything about these earphones prior to receiving them as a gift, but the second I began using them I was already pleasantly surprised. You can tell that there are two speakers in each bud, making every beat crystal clear. During my daily jogs I found the earphone’s features to be very convenient. Thanks to adjustable earclips I no longer had to worry that the buds would be tugged from ears mid-jog. The Control Talk on-cable mic allows me to answer and make calls while I’m moving, and the remote control on the cord lets me adjust my tunes without having to look down and fumble with my iPod.
That being said, these earphones are not for everybody, especially if the user does not plan on using them while exercising. They got uncomfortable after about an hour. The on-cord remote control feels like cheap plastic. Additionally, these are not made to block out all other sounds. Jogging, especially outdoors, can be dangerous and so they were designed to let in ambient noise. While this can be a great feature for the athlete, a regular user would likely consider this a fault as it generally weakens the sound by sacrificing the bass. Finally, they are very expensive for fitness earphones and the durability doesn’t seem to justify the high price. I haven’t had problems with mine yet, but they seem to be notorious for breaking within a few months of use. There are other fitness earphones for less money, though they will not be as stylish.
The bottom line? The Powerbeats earphones are a great, stylish choice for an athlete but a poor choice for anyone else.
These earphones can be bought from the official website, from Amazon.com, or from a Monster outlet store.
